68th Annual Pilgrimage at National Marian Shrine in Mariamabad, District Sheikhupura was held on Sep. 08-10, 2017.

The National Marian Shrine in Mariamabad, Pakistan is a National Shrine and the site of an annual pilgrimage for the September 8 feast of the birth of Mary. This event has been taking place since 1949. Mariamabad means city of Mary in the Urdu language.

Mariamabad began in 1892. Observing the misery and oppression of the newly converted Christians in the district of Sialkot, Capuchin Bishop Van Den Bosch purchased 150 acres (0.61 km2) of government land for 650,000 rupees (US$29,545) for Christians to live and work on. In 1893, three priests and three Christian families moved to the land.

Pilgrims travel by foot, bullock carts, bicycles, buses and trucks to Mariamabad. The shrine also houses the Church of St. Mary and St. Joseph established by Belgian Capuchins on December 8, 1898. Here is a quick recap of the Pilgrimage

Opening Mass of 68th Pilgrimage at National Marian Shrine at Mariamabad